Placement: Proclamations and Special presentations
Action Requested: Discussion
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Recipient of FPCA Operation Cooperation Public/Private Partnership Award
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Submitted By: John A. Bolduc, Chief of Police
Strategic Plan Link: The City’s Mission to be responsive to our community.
Executive Summary (General Business): The Port St. Lucie Police Department was honored by the Florida Police Chiefs Association for our partnership with Project Lifesaver International on June 28, 2019.
Presentation Information: Mayor Oravec will present Chief Bolduc on behalf of the Police Department (PSLPD) and Project Lifesaver International (PLI) which were honored with the Operation Cooperation Public/ Private Partnership Award.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council present the award to Chief John Bolduc.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and present the partnership award to Chief Bolduc.
2. Move that the Council provide staff direction.
Background: The Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA), has established an awards program to recognize law enforcement professionals from Florida Municipal, College/University, School Board/District, Tribal or Airport agencies who have distinguished themselves in service to their agencies, communities and/or fellow members. The Operation Cooperation Public/Private Partnership Award recognizes a police department and a private sector partner that have mutually worked together to solve a police-related problem, or enhanced a police-related service, or positively impacted police services to the public.
Together, PSLPD and Project Lifesaver International have established a local program which serves and protects special needs communities within Port St. Lucie. Since the program’s inception in 2017, PSLPD has enrolled 42 individuals who are prone to the life-threatening behavior of wandering. With ongoing outreach and communication efforts with the local special needs’ communities, enrollment in the program continues to develop. The program utilizes proven radio technology in coordination with specially trained search and rescue teams. Individuals enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal. If an enrolled client goes missing, the caregiver notifies their local authorities who will dispatch a certified emergency response team to the client’s last known location and activate a search with specialized equipment that can triangulate the position of the client’s frequency, allowing the team to quickly locate the client and return them home safely. In comparison to a search utilizing standard operations, which can take hours, possibly days, Project Lifesaver has reduced search times drastically - achieving an average recovery time of only 30 minutes, which is 95% less time than standard operations. In recent decades, the population of Port St. Lucie has experienced rapid growth. At the same time, individuals being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Autism have increased. These individuals residing within the city limits have increased the prevalence of wandering incidents and requiring a need for increased security, tools, and protocols to maintain the safety of these vulnerable individuals.
Through their partnership with Project Lifesaver, the City of Port St. Lucie has gained more than just a locating program for their community and special needs families, they have created a means of providing peace of mind to these families that their loved ones, knowing they are protected and in the event of an emergency, they will be located and returned home safely.
During the last fiscal year, PSLPD responded to 717 calls for service relating to what the agency classifies as Missing Persons/Runaways. While it cannot be quantified as to what number of individuals can be attributed to those with diagnosed medical conditions, experts estimate that sixty percent of those with Alzheimer’s and nearly half of those with Autism will partake in the life-threatening behavior of wandering, also known as elopement. This behavior poses a large threat to the safety of these individuals, especially if not located and returned home in a timely manner.
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NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
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